A dock leveler is commonly installed beneath the door of a loading dock. So installed, the dock leveler is operable to establish a bridge between a loading dock and a truck docked thereto, while accounting for any differences in height between the floor of the loading dock and the bed of the truck. The bridge allows goods to be readily moved between the loading dock and the truck, e.g., by forklifts driven over the bridge.
However, when installed, the interface between the dock leveler and the loading dock provides points of ingress and egress of heat, air, moisture, and vermin (i.e., rodents, insects, or the like), into and out of the loading dock, even when the dock leveler is not being used and the loading dock door is closed. Further, the dock leveler, typically made of metal, may serve as a conductor for carrying heat into and out of the loading dock area. This movement of heat (or cold), air, moisture, and vermin may result in damage to goods stored in the loading dock, and/or increased operating costs (e.g., energy costs).
Conventional devices for sealing a dock leveler suffer from various disadvantages. For example, weather stripping installed at the edges of a dock leveler may allow moisture and small-sized vermin to enter the loading dock area, and does little to prevent conduction of heat through the dock leveler. Further, such devices are prone to being damaged during operation of the loading dock, and are often not replaced.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved seals for dock levelers installed in loading docks.